Rock Island daily Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1886-1893, 1887-11-28
A PASTORS PARTING.
Rev. L. w. Read breaches His Fare
well sermon TO the First Baptist
Church Congregation-Hnpp Reia-

Rev. L. w. Read breaches His Fare
well sermon to the First Baptist
Church Congregation-Happy Reia-
tions Severed.
Rev. l. W. Read, who has recently &C.
cepted the appointment of superinten-
dent of Baptist Missions in the state of
Illinois, preached his farewell sermon to
his congregation at the First Baptist
church yesterday,.morning. His theme
was Some Parting Words. and his text
was taken from I'd Corinthians. 1911.
Finally brethren farewell. Be perfect; be of
good comfor.; be of ole mind. Live in peace.
Today, said Mr.. Read. completes
pastorate of four years and five months.
They have been pleasant years, and in
some degree profitable. A brief glance
backward is perhaps not out of place at
this service. When l came to you, you
lacked confidence IN your own ability TO
do. You believed you were much weak
er than you really were. You had lost
confidence and with it much of your
power to work; for no one can success
fully labor in a state of dlffidence where
assurance is lost. 10 that state found
you. Very soon you began to trust more
and to believe in me. and then our march
upward began; it has been slow but it
has been moving all the time. | found
here surroundings which were not con-
dneive to church prosperity The PEG
pie did not generally go to church
state of things which exists today. They
believe in the church in some Indifferent
way, but to support it by attendance
upon its services but very few compare
lively do. This has made the work here
thrice hard. More pleasant people enc
cannot come in contact with than are TO
be found here. but they are indifferent to
the demands of God upon them. MAY
He in His great mercy change this condi-
ton of things.
As | said, we as a church have been
growing. When l came to your first
prayer meeting | found not to exceed
twenty five. while at your last meeting
you numbered seventy five. A young
peoples meeting has been started and
maintained with greater or less vigor.
Your Sunday school four years ago had
an average of about seventy
and now the average is about
one hundred and fifty; be
sides a mission school which has been
sustained by our young people for more
than three years. Our house of worship
has been completed by the erection of {
| spire, and the exterior and interior beau
titled very greatly. The church has con
tributed each year to every benevolent
organization recognized by the denomi
nation, thing never done before i'll th,
/ history of the church. The con gregs
! tons are at least twice the size thew wert
in the beginning of this pastorste. Their,
have been added TO our number more
than one hundred. the most of whom
have been received upon profession o
faith and baptism. Our losses by re
| movals have been heavy, but they hsv
been met in large degree by the add
tons which have from time to time beel
| made
When all OF our unpaid subscription
are in they will be sufficient to meet GU
Indebtedness, which is small. In tn
things mentioned we only see the visIbl
marks of growth. There has been tina
which is of more value than all the othe
of which Il have spoken, for it is In
foundation of true success. The l0yalt
to Christ which has been manifested, an
The Consequent development of christia
| graces is that which has made success
sstbt. L gu tutfclOiG slhuu tpuh
upon higher ground as church than yoI
have ever before stood Not only t
MAINTAIN this position, but to make al
vancemelt, is the demand OF the houl
The new testament is full of instructio
as to this whole matter of soul develop
ment and soul power OF this | wish t
speak for little while.
The apostle lays down the principle
of perfection as one of the essential ele
ments in the religiously prosperous life
The demand of the day is to see Cbri:
in the Christian. 1t is only rs you ero'
into the likeness of the perfect God-ms
that you can be influential in winnin
men for Him. The pure life-the iii
unspotted by contamination with tn
worlds that which will exercise th
greatest influence for good. The churc
which keeps itself pure is the one whic
will be as "a city set upo
a hill which can not be hid" Agai
we are told that the truly prssperou
church must be of one mind-having on
aim. We know what that means. 1t
that your minds shall be in such harmon
in relation to the advancement of th
cause of Christ as to be absolutely one
By this means all of your plans and all @
your work will have but one aim, an
that the building up of The cause of Go
among men. Cheerfulness in the wor
is means. Of the best and most thor
ough work. A peevish, fretful, eros
spirit will never WIN for God and holi
ness. Do not labor In Christs whey ar
as though you were forced into it, an
did not have any heart in the work. D
not complain continually because it cost
so much. A cheerful performance {
every duty as though it were a deligh
and privilege, will make truly pros
porous church. Peace must reign also
YOU expect to win for God and humanity
Discord is the work of satan and will rui
any church Live in the spirit of GU
divine Lord and peace will prevail. n
one can stir up strife and have the spiri